Foraging Walk (Plants and Potions) Witch Trials in South Queensferry

Foraging Walk (Plants and Potions) Witch Trials in South Queensferry

Event Location: South Queensferry

Meeting outside the Garden Room behind the Priory Church, South Queensferry at 10am prompt and finishing there at 1230pm.

Join local botanist Dorothy Warren on a foraging and folklore walk retracing the harrowing footsteps of those accused of witchcraft in the17th century Royal Burgh of South Queensferry. The witch trials in Scotland were amongst the most intense in Europe, driven by a combination of religious fervour, legal changes and royal obsession. In the Ferry, the proximity to the sea made the local community particularly suspicious of weather magic. During a period of just 6 months in 1643, at least 17 people were apprehended and incarcerated in the local Tolbooth.

This walk will focus on remembering those accused of witchcraft by the wife of Captain Ellis who formerly resided in the Black Castle. We will also reclaim the stories of the Ferry's forgotten healers. From the Black Castle to the Ferry Glen and the old Toolbooth, we will explore the wild spring botanicals once gathered for medicine and charms and finish indoors at the Garden Room to make a protective potion of our own. We will also enjoy a taste of a Jacobean herbal snack and drink. Our snack will be gluten and dairy free.

This hands on experience will teach you how to identify different herbs and learn about their modern and historical uses and also about the dark history of South Queensferry.

Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to delve into the realm of herbal magic, plants and potions.

Please wear suitable footwear for the cobbles which may be slippy if it rains, and also for potentially muddy ground. Be aware that this walk includes a climb up and down steps and a steep hill. It may not be suitable if you have mobility issues.

Refunds available if canceled within 10 days of the event. Otherwise no refunds within 10 days of the event unless place taken by someone on the waiting list.

Can't wait to see you there.

Foraging queries to foragingfaerie@gmail.com